Heat exchange apparatus



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HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 27, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 30, 1942. w. ASTLE HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 27, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Wm fl 5: V a. 6 w; 6 Z 3 2 7 4 J m 2 H .IHH M w m 1 w fl m a f w a MW fi 0 7 6 x 1 z 1 z June30, 1942.

- w. ASTLE 'HEA'T'EXGHANGE APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 27, 19:57

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 30, 1942.

w. AsfLE 2,287,958

HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 27, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented June 30, 1942 Qriginal application August 27, 1937, Serial No. 161,265. Divided and this application August 26, 1940, Serial N0. 354,276

7 Claims.

My invention relates to heat exchange apparatus.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 161,265, filed August 27, 1937.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved plate heat exchange apparatus which will enable the cleaning of the heat exchange plates.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

In the drawings, in which several embodiments of my invention are shown,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a heat exchange apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevatienal View showing the ammonia cooling cells;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4

with the cover removed and some of the plates separated;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1-7 of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the ammonia plates;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a section on the line [9-10 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line ll--l| of Fig;

8; and

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional View showing a different form of ammonia cooling apparatus.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the construction shown comprises a regenerative set I of plates, which may be used for effecting a transfer of heat between warm milk from the holder and incoming raw milk, and a cooling set 2 of plates which may be used for the transfer of heat from the milk to be cooled coming from the regenerative set to ammonia flowing through the cooling set. Both sets of heat transfer plates may be mounted on a framework 3, the plates of both sets being separable for cleaning betweenthrough either of the two nipples 8 and 9 and may be discharged through either of the two nipples l0 and H, from whence it is led to the entrance nipple 12 of the cooling set. The milk to be cooled flows through the cooling set and may be discharged through the discharge nipple l3. Those of the nipples 4 to II which are not being used may be closed in any suitable manner as by pipe caps.

The cooling set of plates comprises a plurality of thin flat cells I l suitably corrugated, nested together and enclosed within a casing l5. Each individual cell of this set is provided with an inlet pipe It for the inlet of ammonia and with a discharge pipe I! forthe' discharge of ammonia.- The'casing or tank l5 provides for the flow of milk to be cooled, the milk entering at the entrance nipple l2, flowing upwardly between the ammonia cells M on the right of a partition in the casing, thence transversely along the space above the ammonia cells, thence downwardly between the ammonia cells to the bottom of the casing and thence out through the discharge nipple l3.

To provide a complete partition for causing an upward flow of milk on one side of the partition and a downward flow on the other, a partition plate [8 (Figs. 3 and 4) is provided below the ammonia cells M, which partition plate may be secured, as by spot welding or the like, to one of the ammonia cells. This partition is provided with a sealing strip or gasket Ida at its'edge to effect a seal between the partition plate is and the adjacent Wall of the tank l5.

In order to enable the ammonia cells to be separated for cleaning the outer surfaces of the cells, the supply and discharge pipes it and II for each ammonia cell are slidable in openings in a wall E9 of the milk containing casing Hi. The dished cover portion 20 of the casing or tank is made removable in order to enable the separation of the ammonia cells for cleaning. This separable connection with the wall of the casing may be eifected by means of screws 2! (Figs. 2 and 5) extending through openings in lugs 22 on the casing cover 28 and threaded into bushing 23 secured to the wall portion IQ of the casing. Where the pipes 16 and I? pass through the thick wall I9 of the casing, suitable packing means are provided to prevent leakage to these points. In order to prevent leakage past the side edges of the ammonia. cells IQ, the vertical side edges may be provided with suitable gaskets 23a which engage the adjacent walls of the casing, as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. In order properly to position the individual ammonia cells and insure tight packing at the place where they go through the thick wall of the casing, each inlet and outlet pipe is provided with an annular flange 23b which, when the cell is properly positioned for operation, will engage the asket 24 to hold it snugly against the thick wall I9. In order to hold the outer gasket 25 in position, suitable gasket retaining plates 26 are provided which bear against the gasket 25 and are secured to the thick wall by means of screws 21.

The inlet and discharge pipes 26 and i! for the ammonia cell are connected and placed in communication with the individual cells M by means of hollow connector members 23, the broad edges of which are in communication with the interior of the ammonia cells and the lateral faces of which are in communication either with the inlet or discharge pipes IE or 87. Each of the inlet pipes I5 is in communication with a flexible supply conduit 29, which, in turn, is in com munication with a. U-shaped conduit iifl'connected with the ammonia supply header 3E, connected with the ammonia supply pipe 32, as shown in Fig. 1. Sim arly, each. of the individual ammonia discharge conduits ll is'in communication with a flexibleconduit leading to a U--shaped conduit ii conn'ected with the ammonia discharge header and discharge pipe The flexible conduits enable the sliding movement of the supply and horizontal discharge pipes which are connected with the individual ammonia cells.

To clean the ammonia cells, it is only necessary to drain the milk out of the casing l5, remove the cover-retaining screws 2! and cover 23 and then pull out the ammonia cells M, one one, and clean the outer surfaces of the cells which have been exposed to the milk.

Fig. 6 shows the first and second ammonia cells l4 pulled away from the others to allow cleaning between the second and third cells. exposed surfaces of the second and third cells have been cleaned, the third cell will be pulled out, enabling the exposed surfaces of the third and fourth cells to be cleaned, etc. After the exposed surfaces of the cells have been cleaned, the cells may be pushed back to assembled position and the cover it may be put in place and secured as before by means of the screws 2|.

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 show one manner in which the ammonia cells !4 may be corrugated. As

shown, there are the corrugations on one wall of the cell extending at an angle to the corrugations 65 of the opposite wall so that the fluid flowing downwardly within the cell will pass from restricted portions 66 to expanded portions E! of the flow passage, causing turbulence in the flow and increasing the efficiency of the heat transfer plates.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A heat exchange apparatus for controlling the exchange of heat from one flowing fluid film to another comprising a plurality of thin fiat juxtaposed cells, each providing a thin fluid film flow space, a casing in. which said cells are placed, means for circulating a fluid within said casing and over the outer surfaces of said cells, rigid tubes extending through the wall of the casing and communicating with the interiors of said cells, respectively, to providea circulation of fluid within the cells, and flexi le tubes connected with When the said rigid tubes, said rigid tubes being movable longitudinally through openings in the wall of the casing .whereby the cells may be separated for cleaning without disconnecting either the rigid or the flexible tubes.

2. A heat exchange apparatus for controlling the exchange of heat from one flowing fluid film to another comprising a plurality of thin flat juxtaposed cells, each providing a thin fluid film flow space, a casing in which said cells are placed, means for circulating a fluid within said casing and over the outer surfaces of said cells, and tubes extending through the wall of the casing and communicating with the interiors of said cells, respectively, to provide a circulation of fluid within the cells, said tubes being movable longitudinally through openings in the wall of the casing whereby the cells may be separated for cleaning without disconnecting the tubes, said tubes extending transversely with respect to the planes of the cells, the connections of the tubes with the cells being offset with respect to each other laterally of the cells to prevent interference between the respective tubes and connections.

3. A heat exchange apparatus for controlling the exchange of heat from one flowing fluid film to another comprising a plurality of thin flat juxtaposed cells each providing a thin fluid film flow space, a casing in which said cells are placed, means for circulating a fluid within said casing and over the outer surfaces of said cells, and tubes extending transversely with respect to the plane of said cells through the wall of the casing and communicating with the interiors of said cells, respectively, to provide a circulation of fluid within the cells, said tubes being movable longitudinally through openings in the wall of the casing whereby the cells may be separated for cleaning without disconnecting the tubes.

4. A heat exchange apparatus for controlling the exchange of heat from one flowing fluid film to another comprising a plurality of thin flat juxtaposed cells each providing a thin fluid film flow space, a casingin which said cells are placed, means for circulating a fluid within said casing and over the outer surfaces of said cells, and tubes extending through the wall of the casing and communicating with the interiors of said."

cells, respectively, to provide a circulation of fluid within the cells, said tubes being movable longitudinally through openings in the wall of the casing transversely with respect to the plane of said cells whereby the cells may be separated for cleaning without disconnecting the tubes, said casing having a removable portion which when removed afiords access to said calls for cleaning.

5. In a heat exchange device, a casing, a plurality of plates of heat conducting material arranged in pairs, each pair of plates being secured together about the edges thereof and having spaced-apart portions forming a cell within which a fluid may be circulated, tubular means connected to said cells for circulating a fluid therewithin, said tubular means extending transversely of the plane of said plates, and fitting in and extending through openings in said casing and supporting said cells within said casing whereby said cells may be separated for cleaning, and means for circulating a second fluid within said casing and over the outer surfaces of said cells.

6. A heat exchange apparatus for controlling the exchange of heat from one flowing fluid film to another comprising a plurality of thin flat juxtaposed cells, each providing a thin fluid film flow space, a casing in which said cells are placed, means for circulating a fluid within said casing and over the outer surfaces of said cells, said cells lying in general in substantially vertical planes, said casing comprising a substantially vertical wall substantially parallel to the plane of said cells, and a removable cover surroundin and enclosing said cells, and rigid tubes extending through said vertical wall and communicating with the interiors of said cells, there being an inlet and an outlet tube for each cell, said tubes being movable longitudinally through openings in said wall whereby when the cover is removed the cells may be separated for cleaning.

'7. A heat exchange apparatus for controlling the exchange of heat from one flowing fluid film to another comprising a plurality of thin flat juxtaposed cells, each providing a thin fluid film flow space, a casing in which said cells are placed, means for circulating a fluid within said casing and over the outer surfaces of said cells, said cells lying in general in substantially vertical planes, said casing comprising a substantially vertical Wall and a removable cover surrounding and enclosing said cells, rigid tubes extending through said vertical wall and communicating with the interiors of said cells, there being an inlet and an outlet tube for each cell, said tubes being movable longitudinally through openings in said wall whereby when the cover is removed the cells may be separated for cleaning, and flexible tubes 15 connected with said rigid tubes, respectively.

WILLIAM ASTLE. 

